leroydiamond

3 hours ago, aDx said:

Thanks for all the advice!  very kind. I have listened...

 

I have applied for a bass job with a band....  its the last one tho

 

If I get the audition  will see how it is......   If not ok.... then will sell up. simples. No regrets

 

I am moving to Frinton next year and retiring hopefully as well.... so that may decide it too..

 

on a plus side... I have been playing 50 years!!  OMG!   cant believe it...  lol   time flys! (flies?)

 

 

Sounds like a plan and one you are comfortable with. Well done on 50 years of playing!. 

After 40 years of playing I retired 3 years ago and no regrets. I happen to get on really well with my other half and  have enjoyed the free weekends, being able to travel alot more as a result. One of the surprising experiences is going to gigs and not being bothered about the gear the bass player is using and paying attention to technical concerns. I am a regular punter now and find that much more enjoyable. 

On 22/08/2022 at 14:37, aDx said:

not a sympathy thing just saying goodbye really

i am sick of trying to organise bands and sick of the same old covers!!  

no-one PLAYS anymore.....   and if they write their own I am too old!   

 

Still i am going out with the best bass setup/sound i have ever had!  so thats nice. I guess you have to know when you are done with it?

 

It will all be sold soon... 

 

Hope everyone finds there dreams!! 

 

 

I think that if you are determined to continue to play, be it live, jamming out with mates or recording, then there is every chance that you will. I may be wrong, but I am picking up a degree of anger or resentment in your post. If so, then IMO Never a good way to part company with something you once, or may still have a love for.

Sadowsky NYC J Bass purchased new by me in 2010 directly from the workshop in New York. Equipped with Sadowsky humcancelling pickups, onboard pre with vtc. Finished in Cherryburst.
Still has protective film at the back of the body and around the pickups. Gigged at weekends up till 3 years ago when I retired. Weighs in at a little more than 3.4 kgs
Inspected and signed by the man himself prior to purchase.
Has some nicks as one would expect, but you have to get up very close to see them. I have done my best to photograph them.
All in all, in great condition.
Comes with new Sadowsky case.

https://www.sadowsky.com/sadowsky-instruments/nyc-basses/21-fret-basses/

On 16/08/2022 at 06:07, Newfoundfreedom said:

I'd rather play 2 gigs a year. Ideally without leaving the house. 

Same as

2 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

 

For those that play for money. Some folk just like playing, for little money, or even for none. 

I play for no money,  Confine my playing to jamming out with my mates and enjoy it.

However in terms of gigs I have no interest. After many years, it is a chore for me. If I had to, then the two gigs that pay more than eight, will always get my vote.

When 2 gigs will pay better than eight, then its a no brainer

1 hour ago, bass_dinger said:

Is that not still importing an item, though?  Surely the fact that it is in bits, and hidden underneath your socks, does not remove the liability to pay tax and duty?

I miss the pre brexit days when buying from the UK was an option

Its a type of stunt that was thought provoking, though only for a short time, a long time ago. It belongs in the past, a bit like Pearl Jam's music. IMHO of course.

1 hour ago, AndyTravis said:

so in about 2009 I worked for Dawsons - we were the distributor for Farida acoustic guitars.

 

they sent some samples of electric basses and guitars (they would become the Squier classic vibe series)

 

we did a p and j with them - and I said “could you do a fretless/Sadowsky style”

 

they made me 2. One is fretless, one is fretted.

 

they’re ace. Only ones  in existence . “The twins”

Great looking bass!

23 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Absolutely J, I want to enjoy what I’m doing.

 

When the fun stops…stop.

 

It’s not affecting my enjoyment of playing, actually had my rig set up and enjoying playing my J bass the last couple of days - I’ve had it years and I forget how much I love it because shiny things get in the way.

 

 

Lovely J bass. What make and model is it?

Watched The Eagles from 1973 earlier. Love them or hate them, they were the mutts nuts when it came to nailing harmony vocals

16 hours ago, prowla said:

It's labelled 220V and supplied with only a UK power cable.

AC voltage in the UK IS RATED AT 240V and has been measured up to 250V. 220V is standard Voltage in EU, so that might be an issue. 

Micro heads and neodymium speakers kept me in the game for several years, as I was no longer able or interested to carry the heavy weight alternatives. Very grateful to companies that had the foresight to research and develop this technology. 

Seem like one of the real good guys. Imagine how society would benefit, if more business adopted this model of operation.

Most importantly Richer sounds give 15% of their profits to charities and the original owner, Julian Richer transferred ownership of the company to its employees. Outstanding company with outstanding values!

Saw Steve Vai last night in The Academy in Dublin. Sensational is the only word. I have been going to gigs for many years, but sound wise this was the best, just perfect. 

Not quite regarded as boutique, but the cheap and cheerful Sire basses are worth a look. A friend got one a couple of years back and as someone who was used of the Sadowsky, I was astonished at the value for money of the Sire. Fit and finish were excellent, the eq was very workable and the action was nice and low. A very comfortable feel to the neck. However it was too heavy a bass for me to gig. I have seen a few other Sire's but the quality of the set up and finish varied considerably. 

I own a Sadowsky NYC J bass that was my go to bass for several years, up to when I retired from playing 3 years ago. I always liked J style basses and needed something lightweight. A well finished bass in every respect and I like the onboard eq. Nowadays they are really expensive new, and there may be more affordable alternatives out there. As always, try before you buy if possible. 

2 hours ago, yorks5stringer said:

If you buy from Thomann you get an extra year to  3 years.

I had forgotten about that. Also they have a no quibbles return policy, which I have availed of a couple of times and not a problem. 

Well F@#k brexit!!

22 minutes ago, martthebass said:

I agree with much of what has been said above.  For my part I consider 'micro heads' to be a consumable item albeit a bit above strings.  I use Markbass heads and after I had a power wobble on a LM3 a few years back (turned out to be bad power at the venue fortunately) I bought a backup and carry 2 if I feel it's necessary.  If I get 4 years out of a head (c. 250 gigs) I consider it a win at £2-£2.50/gig.

Thats good value for money without doubt. What is significant here also  is that Markbass are only obliged to provide 1 year warranty in the UK, but by law must provide 2 years in the EU. EU residents get greater protection, hence getting significant better value than those in the UK

33 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Yep, my name is Lozz and I have a ‘burst/rosewood/tort Precision.

And if you are putting 'Highway Star' into your setlist, I want to be in that band!!. I am coming to get ye😄

17 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

That is the only Markbass manual in the public domain. 

 

I worked for a large consumer electronics company before retiring (2009) and anyone could order a Service Manual or parts. Admittedly the use of integrated SMPS and Class D modules mean that the failure of one part requires a PCB replacement. That is expensive but that is no excuse for the lack of service information. This type of protectionism was outlawed some years ago in the motor trade so why should the electronics industry be different. Ashdown, GK, Marshalll, Alesis have all been very helpful to me in repairing amps effects units Behringer, Markbass and Soundcraft have all refused to supply Circuit Diagrams of Service Manuals. I have had one Markbass unit that has had to remain unrepaired because Markbass do not help the independent repairer. 

Very frustrating for you as a technician and the owner of the unrepaired amp. I have no objection to Markbass, or any other manufacturer making there schematics available to the end user, just attempting to put some context as to possibly why they have decided not to. If I owned a Markbass head that had developed a fault, no doubt I would share in that frustration. However I and many others have found them stellar in terms of reliability, but obviously every amp will develop a fault at some stage.

2 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

Nothing to detract from your unusual all good non gigging band experience but you're way off in left field when it comes to the general band with a couple of closet non giggers in it wasting everyone else's time.

I don't see all that much unusual about my experience as a band member. I played for over 40 years, so guess In that time, I have experienced many different scenarios. I guess I am always a glass half full type of guy and therefore look for the positive in every day, even when faced  with adversity and people who are disingenuous. Its a matter of what lense we wear when dealing with such and we can often turn a disadvantage into an advantage. For me there are always worthwhile lessons to be learned. Thats been my experience but obviously not everybody's. 

17 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

 

The event you are talking about is a group of musicians getting together for a jam to see if something worked, it happens all the time and it is perfectly reasonable and a waste of noones time, so not really relevant to what I was talking about. I also suspect that Blackmore and Paice, having already been in Deep Purple for some time were actually fairly good.

 

I am referring to groups where you are there for 6-12 months getting excuse after excuse why they can't do such and such a gig before it becomes clear that it is never going to happen.

 

I can't quite get your point here, you seem to be saying it is perfectly justifiable for a group that has no intention to gig to tell someone they do want to gig so they can stay with them, and it really isn't.

 

I am not (and noone has) saying that it is wrong to have a group that has no intention of gigging, there are loads of those (in fact that thread is all about that), just at the point where someone says 'hey, do you want to be in our band' they should also add 'We have no real intention of gigging' so everyone is clear where they stand and are not wasting anyones time, and don't get me wrong, getting someone in your band who wants to gig is a waste of their time, they can become a better musician in a group that is going the way they want.

Pretty much every  band I have been in from start up, that had the intention of gigging, jammed out in the initial stages to test the waters, find a groove, develop a style and so on. I would have thought that to be the norm. A good jam session can bring to the surface interesting ideas and creativity that are necessary to write material that is required for gigging. In my experience it is part of the process

 Rehearsing for up to 12 months with guys who come up with excuses after excuse to not gig, surely would be the exception. It hardly takes that long to suss out such a guy, be he dishonest or otherwise. It should be apparent in a matter of weeks and can be dealt with one way or another.

I have no idea how you came to the conclusion that I would feel its ok to rope people into a project under false pretences. That would be disingenuous and plainly dishonest. I assure you I strive daily to be neither.

People coming together, be it a band or otherwise, will have a degree of unpredictability, together with having to  rub up one another for better or worse. In my opinion dealing with someone who is not showing their full hand, is part of lifes lessons that can  lead to one's flourishing and wisdom. The only soul being destroyed is that of the person who is being  deceitful